The Innovations in Addressing Child Trafficking (IACT) Program is a program to reduce and redress sex trafficking of children and adolescents in Costa Rica. The program is being implemented by The Warnath Group in the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas from 2020-2025, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP).
The IACT Program will strengthen and consolidate anti-trafficking responses in the country and achieve demonstrable change for child victims of trafficking in persons, their families, and affected communities, as well as prevent the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. As part of this work, this month the IACT Program commenced the provision of training and technical assistance to healthcare professionals and social workers from the Costa Rican Fund of Social Security (CCSS).
On May 31, Warnath Group conducted a foundational training with 20 CCSS officials in the province of Guanacaste. This training focused on understanding child trafficking, how trafficking in persons occurs in Costa Rica, dispelling myths and misconceptions about child trafficking, the five steps of victim protection, indicators of child and adolescent trafficking, and the CCSS institutional protocol for the identification, referral, protection and immediate support of child and adolescent trafficking victims.
IACT Program Technical Specialists and CCSS officials at the training on May 31.